BULLDOGS BEAT MARLIES FRIDAY-First of Home-And-Home

Joonas Nattinen and Aaron Palushaj scored goals 34 seconds apart as the Hamilton Bulldogs broke a 3-3 tie and skated to a 6-3 win over the Toronto Marlies before a crowd of 8,034 at Copps Coliseum Friday night. The win snapped a three game Bulldogs losing streak in which they had totaled just two goals

The story of this game was the play of Russian forward Alexander Avtsin who had a goal and assist. The highly skilled but under-achieving Russian had been a healthy scratch through the season’s first eleven games because of his tentative play. Finally given the chance after the injury to Blake Geoffrion, Avtsin was the Bulldogs best forward and earned another look Saturday afternoon when the Bulldogs play at Toronto.

With two goals Brendan Gallagher also had a good night. His second goal was an empty-netter. He shared the team-high in shots-on-goal with Avtsin at four. The rookie Gallagher now leds the Bulldogs in goals (5) and points (8) in 12 games.

The other Hamilton goal was scored by Morgan Ellis, his first as a professional.

Jarred Tinordi for the first time this season appeared be in a comfort zone making confident plays before defensively and offensively. College graduate Steve Quailer also had another good night.